Understanding
by Blue-with-purple-polka-dots
Summary: All things considered you've been a great listener." A member of the Parr family speaking to a former enemy. One-shot.


_**Understanding.**_

_My first Incredibles fanfiction. A short one-shot._

--

"You know. For a long time, I hated you."

He paused and scratched his head, in the back of his mind, his mother nagging him for doing so, because he knew he was messing up his hair.

He'd also gone through this multiple times mentally speaking, but now that he was finally doing it he found himself at a loss to what to say.

His father always told him to follow his gut when he wasn't sure on what to do. He had usually cracked a joke under his breath regarding how it was easier for someone like him to say, well at least before he'd started working out. (And he'd usually get a smack for his trouble in any case). Not to mention, that wasn't always the BEST advice for every situation anyway, even as a kid he'd learned that the hard way in some respects.

But maybe in this situation, it did count.

So he'd follow his gut (or heart if he was as much as a sentimental sap as Keith could be when the mood hit him, as it occasionally did). He'd just say what he wanted. It didn't look like they were going to interrupt him in any case.

"I don't think Jack-Jack quite understands." He continued to say, deciding that explaining it might things a bit clearer for everyone involved, including him. "He wasn't really there until the very end, as you already know, heck he can't really remember. He was only a baby. Not like us."

He paused.

"You took him from us. Or you tried to anyway. Sometimes I wondered what it would have been like if you succeeded" he frowned slightly at this, recalling the memory with some bitterness. But it was muted now, tempered as it were, the taste being more of a memory itself than anything else. All things considered, given their relative positions, and the passing of time, perhaps he shouldn't have been surprised.

Perhaps he was finally growing up. Had to in this business eventually. Violet would have a heart attack when she realised it. He thought of this image with a smile. Well, he maybe still had SOME growing up to do, but all things considered, he'd come far.

But he still had to get through this. Then again, they had all the time in the world, and he could make up time easily in any case. But Keith would have his ass if he took much longer here he knew.

"But... I think I understand. Sort of anyway. Keith dug some files on you."

Still no reply.

"Didn't have the best background did you?" then he snorted, "Actually that's putting it mildly." He then continued:

"You weren't a good person. But you could have been once upon a time. Maybe. It's kind of hard to know sometimes with you guys."

He looked away, squinting in the dim light at what looked like a bird and then sighed as it flew away, he then turned back to the shape.

"_'You guys' _you know, I've sort of grown to... hate that... just between you and me." he said, with a small smile on his face all the same. "Violet says I'm too sensitive. Isn't that something? She's a bag of hormones and angst for what seems like forever and then she suddenly calls ME over-sensitive? That's sisters for you.... Not that you'd know I guess."

He bit his lip.

"It's just, I've kind of realised that things are sometimes more complicated than that, sure you get complete nuts like the Underminer and all but... they're actually pretty rare compared to what's really out there. And those guys more need a padded cell than a slap sometimes. Maybe even you too."

"But I'm not... really saying that either about 'you guys' as in you know... BAD people, well I am but not just that... I also mean that I have super powers and you well... don't."

He then glared.

"But that kind of thing doesn't mean ANYTHING. Sometimes I think even dad forgets that. It never should have meant anything anyway. But you let it get to you didn't you? It always got to you, even near the end. Yet all things considered, you made a name for yourself and you almost beat us too. Maybe I could even say you were _almost_ a Super in some ways, with your head, but I don't think I like that either...I don't think I like that word very much anymore, it means people act like there's some kind of barrier between me and Keith too... even dad..." he trailed off "... I don't like that. He's smart, Keith, you know. Smart like you. Technology and all that."

He paused again. It was strange, almost like perhaps a confessional might have felt, though he'd never been in one himself, and he doubted they occurred in the open air like here, but in a box, or a room. Personally, there was an element of risk to that which thrilled him on some level all the same, even as he looked around.

"I just got born. I had my main hero talents like this. You? YOU had to work to get your power. I hate what you did with them, hate how you got there, but doesn't that mean something more? To WORK to be special?"

He rubbed his forehead as he tried to get the right words out.

"But, I'm GOING to make a name for myself, I'm going to use what I have to the best of my ability, so that I really CAN call myself special, no matter what. Sure I was born with them, and you hated us for that, and that was wrong too, but I'm getting better, and I understand now... you don't NEED my gifts to be a hero... or to be 'super' or 'special', it might make it easier, but you don't need 'em. Keith taught me that. Saved my ass more times than I count really and he doesn't have any. And I've saved him too. We save each other. He's the best friend I've ever had. "

And he called Keith a sap. He had to snort a little bit at this as he heard the boy (man?) in question yell out to him to hurry up all the same.

Something about them being late. Typical. But then he was always tetchy about time keeping. Then again, even his tech had its limits. But he was almost finished:

"I guess..." he said with a smile on his face, "What I'm trying to say is... I forgive you. Even if I don't completely understand, well I sort of do but then I really don't. And I don't excuse what you did, but I guess... I do kind of feel sorry for you... but don't take it as pity, I know you've pride and all... But, it's time to put the past behind us. "A further twitch to the corner of his mouth, "All things considered, you've been a great listener anyway."

And with that, he placed his hands in his pockets and walked off, his footsteps being light and producing little sound, taking his time almost just to annoy his friend. He gave a slight whistle, and in his imagination the bird he'd seen earlier sang back to him.

Leaves danced, they circled in the air. Laughter also filled it as the boys had a minor argument with one another:

_"You have freakin' super speed yet a snail has better time than you sometimes. Geez. Where were you anyway?"_

_"Hey you gotta smell the roses sometimes. And eh, I was doing nothing important. Let's go."_

The gravestone reading _'Buddy Pine' _remained a silent witness. Silent as it always had and always would be for the rest of time.

--

_Yes, it's Dash. Probably guessed that though. A few years later, late teens if not older anyway._

_I typically am more involved in the Monsters Inc fandom (yes I'm one of 'those' who thinks Randall is redeemable- Hate me! :D, though I am more of a Sulley fan, but that's not what you're interested in right now.)_

_Ages ago, I posted on the forums here in the Incredibles, about the idea of Dash losing his powers and starting to understand Syndrome because of it. It was going to be a multi-chaptered fic have him going to Europe etc etc, but it never got off the ground. I apologise for that._

_Still, here's something which WAS going to be the epilogue. Or something **like** it at least (he hasn't lost his powers here). I found this in my documents and I was like 'ahhh memories'. So I edited it a bit and decided it might be worth posting. Because quite honestly... I'm a little tired of seeing Violet continually the one of the family involved with Syndrome all the time out of the kids. And what about simply platonic things? If you could show me a wholly platonic Violet and Syndrome interaction, I'd love you forever._

_A part of it is similar to something I had involving Sulley once with Waternoose, but I took it down. And this is a bit more uplifting, if still a little bittersweet._

_Because while I'm not sure Syndrome deserves the following he has, hey I can feel pity for the guy too. Even if he's as close as Pixar as perhaps ever got to a full blown sociopath to my knowledge._

_Keith is just a random OC of mine. A scientist action type of hero as it were. Prone to being uptight yet being oddly sentimental at points. He'd be who I'd have Dash work with when he strikes out on his own. I can see him telling reporters: "Excuse me, I am not his side-kick, I'm his PARTNER." Or something to that effect ALL the time. XD. Kind of the straight man to Dash's humour in most cases. Dash helps him relax, he helps drive them and keep them focused, though Dash is growing up and even Keith can kick back on his own SOMETIMES._


End file.
